John Kenny, Sr., born in 1805 in County Fermanagh, Ireland; died 08 Feb. 1850 in Cobden, Renfrew County. He married Margaret Ansburough born about 1815 also in County Fermanagh, Ireland. She also died in Cobden in 1883. John and Margaret and their eldest four children immigrated to the New World in 1842. These six people undertook their journey in the midst of the worst of the potato famine and penal law suffering in Ireland. This is one of the earlier Westmeath Township families. Over the years the Kenny descendants would marry into neighouring Perretton & Greenwood families: McLaughlin, McGonegal, Carnegie, Cotnam, Robinson and Moore.
They settled in what would later become Perretton and farmed on the Beachburg to Pembroke Road. In later years Carl Price and Evelyn Moore Price would farm that land. Margaret Ansburough Kenny was widowed in 1850 at age 35, and her occupation was listed as a farmer in the 1851 Westmeath Census. She has 7 children at home; with the 4 eldest all listed as having been born in Ireland. It is hard to imagine the life of a widow left to raise her family alone in a log house in the Canadian frontier. She must have had great stamina and strength. In the 1851 Agricultural Census Margaret Kenny’s name stands out as the only female farmer and land-owner. She and her children had 200 acres on Lot 16 , Concession 1, Westmeath Township. She had 40 acres under cultivation; 35 in crops and 5 in pasture. 160 acres are “under wood or wild” and 10 acres are in wheat producing 240 bushels. Hard work and perseverance she had in abundance.
1851 Census Westmeath Township
| KENNY | Margaret | F | 41y | W | IRE | E | EPIS | Log |
| KENNY | Edward | M | 20y | S | IRE | E | EPIS | |
| KENNY | Elisa | F | 17y | S | IRE | E | EPIS | |
| KENNY | John | M | 15y | S | IRE | E | EPIS | |
| KENNY | Mary | F | 12y | S | IRE | E | EPIS | |
| KENNY | William | M | 5y | S | CW | E | EPIS | |
| KENNY | Margaret | F | 3y | S | CW | E | EPIS | |
| KENNY | James | M | 2y | S | CW | E | EPIS |
The story of the Kenny Family was set out in some detail by Edna Kenny, a granddaughter of Emily Hamelin Moore and Joseph Kenny, and that work has been generously submitted to this entry by Edna’s cousin Terry Kenny and his wife Dudery; Terry being the great-grandson of William Moore Jr. and grandson of Emily Hamelin Moore on his grandmother’s side. (Edna’s writings have some variants or discrepancies with the researched materials used in this entry. For instance four of John & Margaret’s children were Irish-born and immigrated with their parents; with the eldest named Edward. Also Margaret’s surname was Ansburough.)
Edna Kenny’s “Kenny History”
John Kenny (b. 1805, d. 1850 aged 44) and his wife Margaret Kenny (b. 1810, d.1883, aged 73) came out from Ireland in 1841 with their first child John who was two years old. They came with a family of Scotts with whom they were life-long friends. This was in the days of sailing ships. Much of the passenger trade from Ireland to Canada at that time was in sailing ship which brought timber from the New World to the Old, and emigrants were taken on for the return trip. Conditions on these ships were poor, they were built to carry timber rather than passengers, there was crowding in close quarters and little or no ventilation below deck; the trip would take many weeks. It is probable that the Kenny’s and Scott’s came out on such a ship. Margaret’s maiden name was also Kenny but there was no relationship. They came from County Fermanagh, one of the counties of Northern Ireland.
After arriving in Canada, they settled on land which later became the Carl Price farm. They built their first log cabin on the bank of a pond, a short distance behind the present house. The pond today is a deep depression in the land and completely dry except in spring; but one can see that at one time it was a large, roughly circular pond. An old log house stands there now; when Prices first moved onto the farm, this house was being used as a hen house but they cleaned it up, moved it from its old location and lived in it for a while. This may be the old Kenny house but we don’t know.
This part of the country was all bush at that time. John Kenny began to cut down trees, clear the land and farm it. No doubt the first years were hard and bare. More children were born to them. The oldest John had been born in Ireland; he was followed by Margaret, Edward, Ann Jane, William and Liza. Then tragedy struck. John Kenny was working in the bush on the banks of the pond when a tree he was cutting fell on him. Nine days later he died, only nine years after coming to Canada. A few months later his wife had their seventh child James.
How did this widow, alone in the Canadian bush, manage to raise her seven children? No one now remembers her struggle. Her oldest son John said he was raised on rye bread. John and Margaret Kenny are buried at Greenwood Cemetery.
The children of “immigrant ancestors” John Kenny and Margaret Ansburough are:
1. Edward Kenny (1831- ), born in Ireland, m. Elizabeth Grawberger. They had one son William Kenny (1865-1933) who in January of 1895 married Annie Robinson (1877 – 1946). See ROBINSON entry. They are buried in Pembroke, Ontario. The children of William and Annie are:
i. Irwin Kenny (1895 –
ii. Sarah Florence Kenny (1897 –
iii. Sarah Edna Kenny (1898 –
iv. Ann Margaret Kenny (1899 –
v. William James Kenny (1901 –
vi. Samuel Edward Kenny (1904 –
vii. Florence Selina Alberta Kenny (1911 – 1911). Died as infant.
2. Elizabeth “Eliza” Kenny (1835-1881), born in Ireland, m. Andrew McGonegal. Eliza’s cause of death on her death registry signed by Beachburg’s Dr. Forbes is “consumption” after 1 year of suffering. She was Church of England and only 45 years old. The McGonegals were also an Irish immigrant family in Perretton, Westmeath Township. Eliza and Andrew had 10 children. See MCGONEGAL entry.
3. John Kenny, Jr. (1837-1921), born in Ireland, m. Jane Lafleur (1848-1924) in 1866. She was born in Westmeath Township.
John Kenny Sr. had died in 1850 and in the 1861 Census for Westmeath Township his son John at age 24, is heading a household with three of his young siblings: William age 14, James age 10; and Margaret age 12. They live in a log house and are Church of England adherents. Five years later John Jr. would marry Jane LaFleur (1848-1924). Her parents were Joseph Lafleur (1821- ), who was born in Quebec and Margaret McCadam (1821- ), an Irish immigrant. They are buried at Perretton Grace Cemetery.
Twenty years later, John is aged 42 and Jane is 32. John’s mother Margaret is living with them. Mother Margaret would die two years later in 1883. The religion of the family shifted in records: earliest listings show Episcopal, then Church of England (Anglican) and finally Methodist. Later generations of the family would be members of the United Church.
1881 Census Westmeath Township
| Kenny | John | M | 42 | Ireland | CE | Irish | Farmer | Married |
| Kenny | Jane | F | 32 | Ontario | Methodist | French | Married | |
| Kenny | John | M | 12 | Ontario | Methodist | Irish | Farmer | |
| Kenny | Margaret Jane | F | 11 | Ontario | Methodist | Irish | ||
| Kenny | Joseph | M | 9 | Ontario | Methodist | Irish | ||
| Kenny | Stephen | M | 7 | Ontario | Methodist | Irish | ||
| Kenny | Mary Ellen | F | 5 | Ontario | Methodist | Irish | ||
| Kenny | Eliza | F | 2 | Ontario | Methodist | Irish | ||
| Kenny | Margaret | F | 70 | Ireland | Methodist | Irish | W |
On the 1893 Voter List for Westmeath Township, three Kenny men are listed. In that era only male landowners or sons of landowners could vote. They had Lot 12 and the south half of Lot 16 in Concession 1, East Muskrat Lake.
The large, old, red brick two-story Kenny home at the big curve of the Beachburg Road was once a “stopping place“. These places to rest and feed their horses, have a meal and stay the night, were required approximately every 20 miles in the era of teamsters hauling loads up to the lumber camps and the northern settlements, and in reverse, bringing materials out to market. Stage coach or buggy travelers also needed these stopping places. This branch of the Kenny family married into several other Westmeath Township families and have many descendants in the township up to the present day.
Descendants of John Kenny & Jane Lafleur
John Kenny and Jane Lafleur would have 8 children and they are:
i. John Kenny (1867-1944) m. Annie Small Wilson (1869-1938) in Pembroke in 1890. They would have 8 children:
1) Laura May Kenny (1891-1915);
2) Roy E. Kenny (1893-1952);
3) Robert C. Kenny (1895- );
4) Rupert Earl Kenny (1895-1963) married a local girl Ida Carnegie (1897-1984). See CARNEGIE entry;
5) Stephen “Harold” Kenny (1899-1970) m. Catherine “Cassie” Alice Jeffrey (1900-1976) Kenny, Cassie Jeffrey , daughter of John Jeffrey and Catherine Dickson of Westmeath Township. See JEFFREY entry. Their children are: i. Theodore Harold “Ted” Kenny (1928- ) m. Elsie Cameron in 1952; ii. Jacqueline Kenny (1925 – ) m. Lee Emmerson in 1957.
6) John Andrew Kenny (1900-1904) – died as child of 4 years;
7) William “Bill” Edward Kenny (1905- ) m Violet Davidson (1910-), daughter of Jim G. Davidson and Myrtle Dougherty; – see DAVIDSON entry.
8) Anne Belle “Tot” Kenny (1907- ) m. Clifford Blackburn; children Lois Blackburn and Robert Blackburn.
ii. Margaret Jane Kenny (1869-1944) m. James McLaughlin (1855-1918) from a Perretton family. She married at age 18 in 1888 as a Methodist in Beachburg with Eliza Price and William Thrasher as witnesses. Margaret Jane and James had 10 children and settled in Westmeath Township in the Perretton area. See MCLAUGHLIN entry.
The children of Margaret Jane Kenny & James McLaughlin are:
1) Mabel McLaughlin (1890-1954) m. Alex Dunlop in 1914 and are both buried in Perretton Cemetery.
2) James William “James Willie” McLaughlin (1892-1970) m. Mabel Carmichael of Alice Township in 1922. He served in 1914-18 in France and was wounded in 1918. They farmed in Westmeath Township and raised three children. Mabel died in 1942. Their children: Velma McLaughlin m. Harry McBride and farmed on Pleasant Valley Road, Westmeath Township raising 5 children; Erla McLaughlin m. Keith England and lived on the Beachburg Road and raised 3 boys & 1 daughter; Kenneth McLaughlin became an United Church minister.
3) Edith McLaughlin (1893- ) m. James “Jim” Wilcox on 1915 and they farmed on Hwy 17 w. of Cobden and had four children.
4) John Herbert McLaughin (1895-1971). He served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in WW1. He married Ellen Christine McCulloch of Westmeath Twp. in 1921. They farmed 2 miles w. of Beachburg and raised two children.
5) Robert Thomas McLaughlin (1897-1986) m. Francis Mabel Gardner in 1925 and they had two children and lived in North Bay, Ontario.
6) Margaret Christina McLaughlin (1899-1984) m. Joseph Bennett in 1921 and had six children. They farmed in Ross Township and retired to Beachburg.
7) Stephen Lawrence “Lorne” McLaughlin (1900- ) m. Mary Zoe Smith in 1936 and had one daughter. They farmed in Perretton.
8) Joseph Ernest McLaughlin (1903-1973) m. Lizzie Bell Briscoe in 1930 and had seven children. Joe took over the family homestead in Perretton.
9) Ida May McLaughlin (1905- ) m. Lester Hammond Jack and lived in Foresters Falls. They had six children.
10) Mildred Reda McLaughlin (1910- ) m. Arnold Eady in 1934 and they settled in Sioux Lookout, Ont.
iii. Joseph Kenny (1871-1952) m. Emily Hamelin Moore (1876-1965). Kenny, Emily Moore. See MOORE entry. They are buried at Grace United Cemetery, Perretton, Westmeath Township.
hey would have five children:
1) Garnet C. Kenny (1903-1987) m. Mabel M. Gillie of Pakenham in Lanark County. Their children:
i. Norma Joan Kenny (1930-1981);
ii. Agnes Kenny (1936-) m. Archie Jackson;
iii. John Kenny (1939- ) m. Eleanor McLaren.
2) Veldon Sanfield Kenny (1905- 1959) m. Ethel Griese. Veldon and Ethel would build up the old “stopping place” farmstead into a thriving dairy operation; it is still a Kenny dairy farm. Their children:
i. Terry Kenny (1938- ) m. Dudery Mielke;
ii. Florence Kenny (1942- ) m. Larry Behnke;
iii. Ann Kenny (1943- ) m. Arlin Raabe;
iv. Richard “Ricky” Kenny (1945- );
v. Linda Kenny (1953- );
vi. Philip Kenny (1956- );
vii. Peggy Kenny (1958- ) m. Toni Curry.
3) Martha Jane “Beulah” Kenny (1907-1997) m. G. Delmar Cotnam (1906-1982).
i. Lorna Cotnam (1936- ) m. Eric Stevenson;
ii. Kenny Cotnam (1937- ) m. Darlene Waite
4) William John “Dyer” Kenny(1909-1995) m. Mary (Hickey) Ethier (1908-1984). Kenny, Geneva Ethier, Kenny D&G 50th. See ETHIER entry. Their children are:
i. Sheila Kenny (1932- ) m. Aurele Gervais;
ii. Bryan Kenny (1936- ) m. June Howard; – for more on this branch click: Kenny’s Store.
iii. Marilyn Kenny (1939- ) m. Clifford Robillard;
iv. Katherine Kenny (1943- ) m. (1) Joseph Omanique; (2) Jerry Brown.
5) Harriett Donalda “Pearl” Kenny (1912-1995) m. Milton Kidd (1906-1988) and raised 7 children. They are buried in Locksley United Cemetery.Returning to the Children of John Kenny and Jane Lafleur:
iv. Stephen Kenny (1874 – 1953)
v. Mary Ellen “Minnie” Kenny (1876 – 1950) m. George Bennett; they farmed on the east end of Lookout Road off Fletcher Road, townline of Ross and Westmeath Townships. They are buried in the Howard Cemetery, Forester’s Falls, ON. Their children:
1) Edwin Bennett m. Effie Broome. Child died in infancy.
2) Henry Bennett (1897-19978) m. Nora Blackmore (1910-1988); their children:
i. Howard Bennett (1932- )m. Elsie Thompson
ii. Donald Bennett (1934- )
iii. Baby died in infancy.
3) Christina “Teenie” Bennett (1899-1988) m. William “Willie” Robinson. Their children are:
i. Hazel Robinson (1925- ) m. Bert Dolan
ii. Lois Robinson (1927- ) m. Lorne Davidson
iii. Gladys Robinson (1932- ) m. Ellard Powers (1934-2009)
4) Margaret “Irene” Bennett (1900-1983) m. George Robinson; their children:
i. Doris Robinson m. Gary Splaine;
ii. Gordon Robinson m. Verla Collins;
iii. Harold Robinson m. Naida White;
iv. Velda Robinson m. Ronald Severin;
v. Darl Robinson m. Marilyn McBride;
vi. Muriel Robinson m. Elwood Beaulieu.
5) James “Jimmie” Robinson (1902- ) m. Pearl Watchorn (1897-1982); their daughter: Elaine Watchorn (1938- ) m. (1)Harold Dougherty; (2) Wesley Moore.
6) Pearl Robinson (1903- ) m. Harry Condie ( -1970). See CONDIE entry. Their children:
i. Delmar Condie (1926- ) m. Doris Moore;
ii. Mervin “Murray” Condie ( 1928-1957) m. Florence McCrea;
iii. Veldon Condie (1930-1995) m. Amy Veadry;
iv. William “Willis” Condie (1931-1955)
v. Verla Condie (1940- ) m. Murray Beaudry;
vi. Earl Condie m. Joan Murray
7) Stephen “Steve” Condie (1906-1965) m. Ada McCulloch;
8) Mildred Condie (1908-1990) m. Osborne Richardson.
i.Ona Richardson (1937- ) m. Glen Winterburn
ii. Edward “Ted” Richardson (1942- ) m. Beatrice Armstrong
iii. Alvin Richardson (1945- ) m. Chris___
vi. Elizabeth “Liza” Kenny (1878-1965) m. Joseph “Joe” Moore; see MOORE entry.
vii. Thomas “Tom” Kenny (1881 – 1948) m. Annie Young
viii. James “Jim” William Kenny (1883 – 1951) m. Laura Goudie
1) Mildred Kenny m. Campbell McLaren
i . Patricia McLaren m. Bill Thompson
ii. Anne McLaren m. Gordon Munro
iii. Elmer McLaren m. Joan Johnson
2) Robert Kenny m. Irene Hawthorne
i. Douglas Kenny m. Cathy Moore
ii. Elaine Kenny m. Lyndon McIntyre
iii. Eleanor Kenny m. Bob Wright
iv. Grant Kenny
3) Elmer Kenny (1921-1944) died in World War II; killed in action in Otterloo, the Netherlands. He is profiled on the Lest We Forget page of the main website.
ix. Mildred Kenny (1886 – 1975) m. Mike McDonough; their children:
1) Elizabeth McDonough m. Jimmy Johnson
i. M.J. Mike Johnson m. Marilyn Collins
ii. Arthur “Art” Johnson m. Margaret Behm
iii. Eleanor Johnson m. Ray BoireReturning to the children of John Kenny & Margaret Ansburough:
4. Mary Jane Kenny (1841-1919), born in Ireland, m. John Sullivan (1838- ) in 1860. Their children:
i. Lucinda Sullivan ( -1965) m. Tom Rollins
1) Denzil Rollins m. Jean Green
2) Ivan Rollins m. Florence Code
3) Percy Rollins m. Edna Pappin
i. Velma Rollins m. Versil Hawthorne
ii. Margaret Ann “Maggie” Sullivan m. Abe Price; their children:
1) Hazel Price m. Percy Davidson
i. Myra Davidson m. Bill Fairweather
ii. Dorothy Davidson m. Carman Turner
5. William Kenny (1846-1911), the first of the children to be born in Canada after his parents and older siblings had arrived in Westmeath Township. He married (1) Mary L.E. “Molly” Lawder (1857-1891). She was born in Cobourg, Ont. and died in Lindsay, Ont. William then m. (2) Charlotte Mitchell (1867-1929) in 1893 in St. Paul’s Church Lindsay, Ontario. William’s descendants are spread through Ontario and into the USA.
6. Margaret “Maggie”Kenny (1848-1926) in Westmeath Township, m. (1) James Miller; married later in life to (2) Henry W. Perrett (1841-1921). Henry Perett was born in Nova Scotia. In the 1881 Census for Westmeath Township his occupation is listed as Teacher. He became a very well-liked school teacher in that area of the township and it was then named “Perretton” for him. By the 1901 Census his occupation is Surrogate Court Registrar. At age 60 in 1908 he married widow Margaret Kenny Miller and the couple lived in Pembroke. 1908 Kenny-Perrett Marriage.
7. James Kenny (1850-1924) in Westmeath Township, m. Christina Horricks (1858-1924 ) in April of 1877 in Alice Township, Renfrew County. They had 10 children.